My Travel Guide to the Florida Keys

The Crowe family is officially back home in SC, where the weather simply cannot make up its mind. While I cozy up with a blanket and hot cup of coffee, I figured I would take this opportunity to daydream and spill all the details on our Florida Keys vacation earlier this month.

For those of you who followed along on Instagram, you know we had amazing weather, stayed at a fantastic resort and soaked up as much family time as possible. The trip couldn’t have come at a better time! I received a ton of DMs from you all wanting me to recap where we stayed, where we ate, and other things to do in the area! Without further ado, here is a travel guide specialized for you!

I cannot thank everyone enough for all the recommendations sent our way when it came to which restaurants to check out. We ate out for almost every meal and tried to consume as much fresh fish as possible. Some of our favorite places were the following:

• Angler and Ale
  This was, by far, our favorite restaurant we ate at! It had something on the menu for each one of us and I could have come back time and time again. If you only splurge on one meal, make it this one! I mean just take a look at the menu and your mouth will be watering!
• The Island Fish Co.
  This local spot is open 7 days a week from 8am-10pm. They do not take reservations, so you will need to plan accordingly! It is worth checking out.
• Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar
  This restaurant sits right on the water and they’ve been voted for showcasing the best sunset year after year! If you’re a big seafood eater, look no further. Plus, they have a great kid’s menu.
• Square Grouper Bar and Grill
  This restaurant was super sustainable and environmentally friendly. It’s one of the most popular destinations for fresh, local seafood so you know we had to pay them a visit!
• SS Wreck & Galley Grill
  This sports bar had it all – from steaks to key lime pie. The portion sizes were hearty and the prices reasonable.
• Mallory Square
  Mallory Square was recommended over and over again by so many of you. It’s home to a ton of shops, museums, and restaurants. This would be a super simple place to walk around and browse before hopping into a restaurant for a bite to eat!
• Southernmost Beach Cafe
  Would you believe me if I told you this cafe was located just 90 miles from Cuba? This beachside cafe was located in Key West but it was worth the trip to get there!

We stayed at Hawks Cay Resort and couldn’t recommend it enough. You don’t even have to leave the resort to find something to do! The kids absolutely loved swimming and playing on the swing set each day. The room was perfect for each one of us and provided a super comfortable stay. The staff members were so accommodating and helpful when it came to knowing the area and gave us so many local recommendations. 10/10 would stay here again!

We tended to stay in the Duck Key/Marathon section of the Florida Keys, and we adored this area! Each day, Eric and I made sure we were filling our time doing things we all wanted to do. Some of our favorite activities included:

• Swimming with dolphins at Dolphin Connection
  We had the opportunity to get up close and personal with Bottlenose Dolphins in their natural habitat. I loved being able to hear more about these amazing creatures and what conservation efforts this company is taking to make this a safe place for these sea mammals. You are able to purchase a package to swim with them, encounter them, or simply sit dockside and watch them. We swam with them and it was such an amazing experience!
• Visiting The Turtle Hospital
  This is a working hospital located in Marathon, FL. They rescue, rehabilitate, and release turtles throughout the year. In order to visit with the turtles, you must be a part of their guided educational programs, but I cannot recommend participating enough. You’ll have the opportunity to tour the facilities and get a presentation on sea turtles. At the end, they even allow you to feed the turtles that live there. It was a fun activity for both the kids and adults!
• Feeding tarpons at Robbie’s
  This was highly recommended by a ton of you and it did not disappoint. It cost $2.25 per person to gain admission to the dock. You can watch as tarpons rise up from the water and eat the fish from the people’s hands! If you’re brave enough, you can even lean over the dock and feed them. Buckets of fish (5-8 fish) cost $4.
  
  A Travel Tip for You: If you go straight past the airstream camper at Robbie’s, you’ll find a hidden little beach which is perfect to dip your toes into and step away from crowds for a bit.

• Taking the kids to Theater Of The Sea
  This was another activity so many of my followers said I could not visit without seeing. The kids absolutely loved it. The lagoons there are home to dolphins, sea lions, turtles, sharks, stingrays, etc. The staff put on shows and programs throughout the day. My kids loved the dolphin and parrot show! It was a fan favorite from the trip!

• 

• 

However, the highlight of the trip for Ryder was the charter fishing trip he took with Eric and Michael Schofield. He was so giddy to meet back up with Milly Kate and I after his day adventure. The boys fished, learned about different types of bait, and then got to keep their catch of the day. We grilled it up that night and it was so tasty! I was so proud of Ryder and it warmed my heart to see him find something he loved to do with his dad.

• 

• 

All in all, it was such a necessary trip for all of us. We enjoyed being able to step away from our busy work lives and just get our suntans (or sunburns) on. I’m always happy to answer any questions you may have about a Florida Keys trip! Check out everything we packed for this trip here and click here for a quick, 30 second vacation recap!

Have you been to the Keys before or is it on your list of places to visit? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!